Sports Science - Calling Balls and Strikes

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Calling balls and strikes accurately and consistently can be one of the hardest and most strenuous jobs out there. Not only are Umpires trying to keep the game as fair as possible, each game they take an ear full from players, coaches and fans. After watching this video I have much more respect for Umpires and the true difficulty of their job.

[@mikegallegos7]

Toughest job in baseball: Umpiring. Managers manage, coaches coach, players play but Umpires Rule and make baseball, baseball. Viva da' Ump !! LOL LOL

[@MartialManiaK]

First video I've seen uploaded with 1080p but still looking as if taken with your grandmas video cam corder

[@silencedknight]

How dare you insult my grandmas video camera technology

[@crunchwrapsupreme9372]

@@silencedknight At least her cooking skills and drive to insure you don’t go hungry make up up for her lack of quality film equipment.

[@irvinquijano]

I’m a soccer referee but I truly admire umpires seriously wow

[@eauhomme]

Evans' lesson on the ball hitting the mask is a good one. The second pitch I ever took as an umpire was fouled straight back. I flinched and ducked and took it straight in the ear. It was the first and last time I ever turned away from a pitch. In 1993, my fourth year umpiring (of 15), I had a mask broken by a pitch, which knocked me out for a few seconds. I got up, shook out the cobwebs, put the mask back on (not knowing it was cracked), and finished the game. People don't realize that you often don't physically see the plate when the pitch is coming in. You are looking forward, not down, and the catcher will often block your view, especially if he is a big guy or if he moves a lot behind the plate. I started my stance based on where my left foot was. As long as my left foot was in the same place, my eyes would be in the same place relative to the plate. I mentally pictured the zone and locked my eyes into it. As the ball was delivered, if it seemed to come straight at me, it was a strike. If it went into my periphery, it was a ball. Some umpires start standing up and crouch as the pitcher starts the windup. I don't get how they can do that. I had to be completely locked into the zone. Any movement jeopardized my view of the zone.

[@mathewparrett]

Wipe that fucking smile off your face john. You blew the damn call.

[@mathewparrett]

damn, john is a pussy.

[@michaelcustodio9277]

I umpire little league and youth baseball. It definitely is harder than it looks

[@silencedknight]

Michael Custodio because of the parent and the parent coaches.

[@dr.doppeldecker3832]

Thanks to all the umpires out there!

[@TheDylandProductions]

Except for Angel Hernandez.

[@thatzwhat]

This video consists of about 2 minutes of content and 6 minutes of graphics and special effects

[@Set_Your_Handlle]

Ik I really hate how they edit

[@mikegallegos7]

Favorite Umpires: Jim Evans and Joe West.

[@TheAbele992]

And Angel hernandez

[@USCBeastmode]

Jim ain't kidding about everyone expects you (the umpire) to be perfect. Even in youth ball with amateur athletes, coaches, and Childish parents. I started in youth ball pony baseball and worked my way up to Div 1 high school baseball ⚾️You must be familiar with the rules and interpretation of them as well but the one thing you must be consistent at is your STRIKE ZONE. Jim's right you'll get your ass reamed if the coaches, players, and parents think your all over the place. So my advice to all new umpires learn that zone. Track that ball from pitchers release to the catchers glove, see it again in your mind then call the strike. Good luck!

[@mamiller1980]

I worked pony ball when I was a senior in high school and it was brutal. Both parents and coaches were pure savages. I had one coach who coached me as a kid scream at my crew so bad he was banned from coaching.

[@USCBeastmode]

SheepDog I so believe you! That's why a lot of leagues have trouble getting umpires. It is the most stressful gig in the world, especially if your new. Handling Managers, coaches, and parents comes with experience; and that is why I wish anyone and everyone that wants to become an umpire good luck they will need it. Lol

[@stephendupree4008]

J. F. Jimenez, yes you are right. The coaches have so much created the fact that winning is everything that it takes away from the game. Some of the kids are big crybabies too. I umpire, I guess the best thing to do is be discreet but also put them in their places.

[@deeluve22]

***Me, after every pitch*** kindalookedlikea...STRIKE maybethatwasa...Ball. thatwassortaofoutsidesoletscallita...Ball lookeddeadcenterrightithinkokilljustsay...STRIKE!

[@maxbosoxfan171]

wow great vid see what its like behind the catcher call balls/strikes an what it takes to be an umpire

[@marktwain368]

What an eye-opener! And the ump here is right--hundreds of people expect the ump to get it right...I think I'd rather be a brain surgeon or a diamond-cutter!

[@tigerguy1013]

Key work at the end, "ALMOST always right"

[@jfraz684]

95% accuracy. .350 for a hitter is a HOF .950 and the umpire still gets screamed at.

[@myoung72207]

@@jfraz684 This umpire noticed the errors in your sentence. :)

[@mikeburgess2485]

The science you need to know is be consistent

[@russellmoore8187]

These CGI feet are all like size 20

[@MrYport]

holy cow they're like flippers! 4:15 is scary to look at

[@nathanvanderweide7015]

Is the strikezone 3d or at the center, front, or back of the plate?

[@alanhess9306]

Belakfan3, There is no "majority of the plate" the pitch must pass through. If the pitch passes through any part of the zone, it is a strike.

[@rickhaavisto9023]

Belakfan3 Wrong, it just has to cross the rectangular prism of the strike zone in any way.

[@Set_Your_Handlle]

@@belakfan3 What planet are you on that pitchers hit both the strike zone and the plate??

[@AbsoluteyAmerican]

At 6:20 the Ump says where did the catcher catch the ball? He says it was below the belt but still a strike because his glove was lower than the belt.. It does not matter where the catcher catches the ball, but where the ball crosses the plate. I get using the catchers glove as a references as there his few mili seconds between plate crossing and catching it, but to solely go off of that catchers mitt who we know is manipulating the catch is also an issue in itself. I agree it is difficult. I have been playing baseball for 20 years now, but when people says look at where the catcher caught the ball, I lose it because that does not matter. It only matters where the ball crossed the plate.

[@AbsoluteyAmerican]

Actually, you are wrong. It is where the ball crosses the plate that should determine if it is a ball or strike. (please see the official MLB rules here mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/umpires/strike_zone.jsp I ask you to look at the rule from 1957) While many umpires use the catchers mitt as a reference, the rule still states that the ball must be in the "strike zone in flight". Good try buddy but next time I suggest you read the rules.

[@jfraz684]

Where the catcher catches the ball is used as additional data before making a call of strike or ball. It is important on borderline pitches.

[@dougthegreat1808]

@Michael Heathman wrong!

[@Fbtvvtgefw]

don't worry, you can blink in between pitches

[@smokeythebear99]

"They're almost always right" Angel Hernandez enters the chat...

[@Wetpasta5]

i was looking for an angel comment haha

[@sicboi]

😮

[@Hproawesome]

They should put in angel Hernandez in this vid.🤣

[@DiggitySlice]

People who make these over-dramatized and flashy "educational" shows are waaaaay overpaid

[@AJsaurus15]

Dusty Rhodes AGREED

[@stevemeters3090]

Angel Hernandez is so trash he could make a call that'd piss off both teams at once.

[@sondrayork6317]

i also bet it takes mental toughness to be a game broadcaster too. bob ucre does it best though.

[@Roy-or6ev]

Poor Bob! Only dyed- in- the- wool baseball fans know that, in order to remain in the "Bigs", he had to agree to catch the late, great Phil Niekro's fluttering pitches, i.e., knuckleballs. We old-timers remember, quite well, one of Mr. Baseball's favorite quips: "The best way to catch a knuckleball is to wait 'til it stops rolling and then go and pick it up." Hilarious!

[@personalemail1632]

I was hoping to see a test on umpire reliability.

[@minorleaguewiffleball6805]

Yesterday I got hit in the wrist trying to block when I was catching and I got hit in the mask by a foul tip in the same inning

[@jfraz684]

It is impossible to be hit in the mask by a foul tip. You were hit by a foul ball.

[@anzalone138]

Most umps still don't know lesson 2

[@srtstl2599]

Mostly always right......Unless you’re Angel Hernandez

[@large_crab]

so original. i've never heard that one before. phenomenal bro.

[@pops444_]

🤣 sick

[@jonnychingas5757]

What's the point of this video?

[@evanwilliams6406]

How hard an umpire's job is.

[@dasituation54]

unless your angel hernandez then you can call whatever the heck you want

[@NatesNexus]

Idk why the former ump was yelling at him for not calling balls because you shouldnt call balls

[@zach6806]

Your suppose to say ball

[@jerfrazier1983]

wrong, we are to call every pitch. We may not always do that, but we are supposed to.

[@belakfan3]

Oftentimes there is a difference between convention and the umpire's manual. By the book, umpires are supposed to call balls and strikes by the number, but in conventional usage, most umpires don't say "ball" any louder than is required for the catcher to hear (assuming the umpire even says it at all). The reasoning? Due to how acoustics can get muffled from the mask, and the tendency for players, coaches, and fans to associate the home-plate umpire yelling after a pitch to equal a strike, we often concede to this powerful socializing factor and just yell the strikes.

[@eauhomme]

The former ump was also the owner and operator of one of the two umpire schools used by Major League baseball. He says you're supposed to call ball. Therefore, you're supposed to call ball.

[@nbo7207]

He sucks as a person trying to learn to ump.

[@derekb3308]

I call BS. Average number of pitches per game is 300? I doubt that. Done watching

[@inthesky3833]

each team throws around 150 pitches, so yeah, 300

[@bhamsoxfan72]

At a minimum, 51...

[@sqballer145]

Are we talking about balls and strikes, or building a rocket ship?

[@prsguitars42]

No..its certainly not quite like building a rocket ship but try it sometime...its actually harder than it looks TO YOU....try it sometime...your local nhfs would love to train you and you get paid!!..

[@mikep6979]

The guy playing ump is deliberately being a doofus.

[@alanhess9306]

If you are referring to Jim Evans as playing ump, then you are truly clueless. Jim Evans was one of the most respected umpires ever.

[@pranit_7D]

Jeez just use a robot ffs

[@lifeofcolt9956]

Sorry this is copy right this will be reported and you will be fined

[@WhatTheCrazyBro]

+XK Vapor shut the fuck up kid

[@fwtexas2392]

Still up

[@SkyThoughtss]

XK Vapor Shut the fuck up kid

[@bhamsoxfan72]

​@@fwtexas2392 Still up... 😂

[@nbo7207]

He sucks as a person trying to learn to ump.

[@Set_Your_Handlle]

Yeah I thought the guy would have a spine but he was like a little girl behind the plate "sTriKe?" 😂